With essentially one-third of the regular season remaining, the Knicks are in position to secure a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive year.
They will resume after the All-Star break Thursday night at the Garden against the Bulls with a 36-18 record, and with the potential of adding two key injured pieces — Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby — in the coming games.
Still, everything that happens comes with the understanding that the stated goal is to advance deeper into the postseason following back-to-back eliminations in the second round the past two springs.
Here are five keys to watch as the Knicks continue to chase Cleveland and Boston in the Eastern Conference:
Health
The Knicks have been waiting all season for the return of Robinson as an inside defensive presence and a weapon on the offensive glass, and the former starting center is expected back from ankle surgery shortly after the break.
The Knicks actually went 4-1 in the five games Anunoby missed after suffering a sprained right foot Feb. 1 against the Lakers, but their winning percentage with the invaluable two-way forward in the lineup over his two seasons with the team — including last year’s playoffs — is an astonishing .753 (58-19).
Schedule
Only the Bucks (.524 opponents winning percentage) have a tougher remaining schedule in the East than the Knicks’ figure of .519, according to Tankathon.
Their final 28 games feature three matchups against the top-ranked Cavaliers and two more against the reigning champion Celtics.
That is significant because they are 0-3 against those teams already this season, and winless in five games overall against them and the West-leading Thunder.
Those are the only three teams in the league with a better overall record than the Knicks — and the only three with better current odds to win the NBA title on ESPN Bet.
Depth
It’s well-documented that Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart are atop the NBA in total minutes played this season, while Anunoby and All-Star starters Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns also rank in the top 25 per game, according to StatMuse.
The minutes police could be partially appeased by a healthy return by Robinson as part of a four-man bench with reserve guards Miles McBride and Cam Payne, and forward Precious Achiuwa.
Robinson’s presence also should free up Towns for some minutes at power forward in a multiple 7-footer alignment.
Star power
Brunson and Towns deserve top-10 consideration for league MVP after they became the first Knicks teammates in 50 years (Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe) to get voted in as All-Star starters.
Towns reached the Western Conference finals last season with the Timberwolves for the first time in his career, and the Knicks will need him to continue to post big numbers alongside Brunson to have a chance to get that far in the East for the first time since 2000. Brunson ranks ninth in the league in scoring (26.1 point per game) and ninth in assists (7.5), while Towns has registered 24.7 points (13th) and a career high with 13.4 rebounds (second) per appearance.
The inside-outside duo also is shooting a combined 41.7 percent from 3-point range.
Defense
Thibodeau’s team has been far more consistent and prodigious at the offensive end — second in the NBA in points per 100 possession — but it ranks a middling 18th overall in defensive rating (113.9 allowed per 100).
The Knicks also rank last in the league in opponents’ 3-point shooting percentage (.378) and last in blocked shots with 3.8 per game, though Robinson (1.9 career bpg) should help in the last category.
